Seaming tool



Sept. 8, 1936. c. SCHLICHT 2,053,378

SEAMING TOOL Filed Jan. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 8, 1936.

C. SCHLICHT SEAMING TOOL ESheets-Shee'b 2 FiledJan. 2a, 193s PatentedSept. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved seaming tool.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide an efficientseaming tool for clenching and seaming sheets of metal during thebuilding of metal roofing, whereby the sheets at the seam are not forcedtogether with a sharp angular bend, but are bent and clenched with agradually rounding turn or fold, so as to prevent cracking of thecoating on heavily coated sheet metal and any breaking of the metalalong the fold.

Another object of this invention is to provide a seaming tool comprisingjaw means which can be modified or changed, so that this tool isespecially adapted for forming a gradually rounded seam, and can also bereadily arranged so that it is adapted for use in forming the customaryseam having the ordinary angular line of fold.

Another object is to provide a seaming tool wherein the jaw means isadjustable, so that the curvature or the flatness of the seams can bevaried as desired.

A further object is to provide such a seaming tool which is durable andis economically constructed, and which can be readily manipulated forperforming different bending operations.

These and other objects and advantages are attained with this invention,as will become apparent from the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the invention isshown in its preferred form of construction, it being understood thatvarious other forms and modifications may be resorted to for carryingout the objects and purpose of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the tool in position whenthe first or initial bending operation of the seam has been completed.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the tool with the detachable jawelement in position, after the second or final bending operation of thesheet metal is completed.

45 Fig. 3 is an end elevational view showing the two adjoining sheets ofmetal placed together ready for the seaming operation.

Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation showing the inclusion of shims at thelarger jaw, whereby the two jaws may be set apart and the thickness ofthe seam can be varied.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, with the handles in section, taken along line 5-5of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, taken along line 6-'-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of the detachable jaw element orshoe.

Fig. 8 is a partial elevational view showing how the tool is used formaking the seam of more angular fold.

Briefly, this seaming tool comprises a set of differently shaped andarranged jaw members which are provided with arched portions or with anauxiliary and detachable jaw element having an arched face portion,whereby this tool is particularly adapted for forming a graduallyrounded bend or fold of the sheet metal at the seam, as illustrated inFigs. 1 to 3; and is also adapted to be used in forming the customaryangular or sharper bend of the sheet metal at the seam, as indicated inFig. 8.

In the drawings my invention is illustrated in its preferred form ofconstruction comprising a head member iii which, for the sake of economyand simplicity, is preferably constructed from a pair of leaf hingeshaving a leaf ll of one secured to a leaf i2 of the other, by means ofrivets or the like. A pair of jaw members 83 and I4, which aresubstantially angle-shaped, have each an angle portion secured to thefree leaves H and I2 of the leaf hinges.

The jaw members are preferably connected to the hinge leaves in such amanner that they can be readily removed therefrom, for example by usingscrew elements i5 for connecting the jaw flange [3' to the leaf i i, andusing bolts l6 for connecting the flange M of jaw 14 to leaf l2 of thehinge.

A pair of handles H and i8 are attached to the jaw members 13 and I4,and this is preferably accomplished by using pipe shaped handles, thehandle l1 being extended thru the hinge leaf l I and jaw flange l3, andbeing secured to jaw l3 by means of a bolt i9; while the handle I8 issecured to jaw flange M by means of a bolt 20. For reinforcement, anangle-shaped supporting bracket 2! is secured to jaw flange l4,preferably by having an angle portion 2| placed between hinge leaf l2and jaw portion M with the bolts l8 extending therethrough. The handlel8 extends thru the upper angle portion of said supporting bracket 2!,and the supporting bracket preferably has its top plate extended farenough laterally from the handle, so that one foot can be set thereon toassist the hands in more forcefully operating the tool.

The jaw member l3 has its angle portion l3 secured to leaf H in such amanner that its operative jaw portion or flange 23 depends downwardlyfrom the head member ID, substantially beneath the hinge pin III"; whilejaw member M has its angle portion M secured to hinge leaf E2 in such amanner that its operative jaw portion or flange 24 extends along thelower face of head member It, a slight distance therebelow, and towardthe depending jaw portion 23, while the tool is in its operativeposition, substantially as indicated in the drawings. 7

With this form of construction the depending jaw portion 23 serves as astationary holding jaw during the initial or first bending operation,while the jaw portion 24 is active and operated intilting the outer lip25 of the sheet metal around the curled edge or bead 25 on the companionsheet of metal, from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shownin Fig. 1.

For performing the second or final bending operation the tool isreversed or turned from the position shown in Fig. 1 to substantiallythe positions shown in Figs. 2 and 8, whereupon the larger jaw 24becomes stationary or the holding jaw bearing against the back of theseam, and the smaller or depending jaw .23 becomes the movable or activejaw for producing this final closing bend, as. shown partly accomplishedin Fig. 8 and fully completed in Fig. 2.

In orderto produce a gradually rounded curve or bend at the seam, jaw 23is provided with an arched or curved inner face portion 23, while jaw 24is also provided with an arched or curved upper face portion 2 5'; andlikewise the head member Ill is preferably also provided with a netherarched face portion 3%]. With this construction the sheet metal will beforced to follow a gradually rounding curve or bend.

For; more positively and evenly forming the second bend on the curvedseam, it is found desirable to provide an auxiliary jaw or shoe 3! whichis detachably mounted on jaw 24. It is provided with an upstanding jawflange or portion 32 which has a somewhat arched inward face 33 adaptedto correspond and cooperate with the arched face 23' of the jaw l3 andthe arched face 30' of head member Ill, so as to provide a betterholding and forming jaw as indicated in Fig. 2, to rest stationaryagainst the seam while jaw I3 is swung and operated in performing thesecond or final bend of the seam, from the bend of the metal shown inFig. 1 to the bend of the metal shown in Fig. 2. Said shoe has endportions 34 with lower lips 35 extending around the ends of jaw portion24 and engaging therebeneath; while a spring 36 in each end of the shoehas a hook 3'! at its end adapted to clasp behind flange M" of the jaw,as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the shoe will be firmly butremovably held on the jaw.

It should be noted that jaw flanges 23 and 32 are closest together attheir lower ends, whereby the .seam or fold is gradually curved andfully rounded at the upper part, while it is forced closely together atthe bottom, thereby avoiding any cracking of the heaviest coating on theheaviest sheet metal in use.

. The'jaws are also made adjustable on this tool, which is readilyaccomplished by making the holes 38 oblong in jaws M and in bracketplates 26, through which bolts l6 extend, (see Figs. 2 and 6),wherebyjaw M can be adjusted up or down with respect to jaw l3 and tohead member ID. Shims 39 of the desired thickness may be interposedbetween hinge leaf l2 and jaw flange I 4' (see Fig. 4) whereby thedistance or space between the jaws I3 and M can be varied, and

likewise the curved seam can be made flatter or rounder to suit theparticular occasion.

This tool is thus especially adapted for producing the gradual andsmoothly rounded bend on companion sheets of metal which have beenpreviously curved or bent at their adjoning edges, substantially in themanner indicated in the drawings; but it is equally as well adapted foruse, without the addition of shoe 33, for producing the diiferent bendsof the seam when the sheet metal has been previously bent or arranged inthe more angular form, as indicated in Fig. 8.

I claim: r

1. A tool for seaming sheet metal for roofing, said tool comprising apair of jaw members each of which has a comparatively broad plate-likelower jaw, means hingedly connecting said jaw members at theirupperportions, handle means on said jaw members for operating them, the lowerjaw of one jaw member depending from said hingedly connected upperportions, and the lower jaw of the other jaw member extending inwardly,underneath the hinge means, toward said depending jaw, adapted to haveits inner end swung upwardly along the adjacent face of the dependingjaw to perform one bending operation on the seam, while the dependingjaw serves as the holding jaw, and upon reversal of the tool thedepending jaw being swingable toward the inner end of the inwardlyextending jaw to perform a different bending operation on the seam,while the last said jaw serves as the holding jaw. 2. A seaming toolcomprising a head member having a nether bending face, a pair ofangleshaped jaw members, each having an upper portion hingedly connectedto said head member, one of said jaw members having a lower jawdepending from said head member and having an inner bending face, andthe other jaw member having a lower jaw extending inwardly beneath thehead member toward the depending jaw and having an upper bending face,at least one of said bending faces having an arched portion thereon, forproviding a gradually rounded'bend at the seam.

3. A seaming tool comprising a head member providing a head plate havinga hinge portion extending from each side thereof, a pair of angular jawmembers'one of which has one angle portion connected to said hingeportion so that its other angle portion depends therefrom, the secondjaw member having the upper end of its angle portion secured to theother hinged portion so that its second angle portion extends from saidupper portion, along the adjacent lower face of the head member andtoward said depending jaw portion, with its free end adapted to be swungupwards along the adjacent face of said depending jaw portion, close tothe head member, thereby adapting the jaw members for use for twodifferent bending operations by using the seaming tool in reversedpositions on the seam.

4. A seaming tool comprising a pair of leaf hinges having a leaf of onehinge secured upon a leaf of the other and providing a head member,

a pair of angle members providing jaws, one having an upper angleportion secured to one of the free leaves of the head member so that itsother angle portiondepends therefrom, the other angle member having anangle portionsecured to I reversed positions on the same for performingtwo different bending operations.

5. A seaming tool comprising a pair of jaw members and means wherebythey are hingedly connected, one jaw member having a jaw extendingoutwardly and downwardly from the connecting means, and the other jawmember having a jaw extending along underneath the connecting means andtoward the depending jaw, adapting the tool for performing a certainseaming operation, and a shoe detachably mountable on the secondmentioned jaw and having an upturned flange to cooperate with thedepending jaw adapting the tool for performing a succeeding seamingoperation.

6. A seaming tool comprising a head member having a curved portion onits nether face, a pair of angle-shaped jaws each having one angleportion hingedly connected to said head member, the first jaw having itssecond angle portion depending outwardly from the head member, and thesecond jaw having its second angle portion extending along underneaththe head member toward the depending jaw portion, both of said jawportions having arched portions thereon to cooperate with the curvedportion on the head member for providing a gradually rounded bend on aseam.

'7. A seaming tool comprising a head member having an arched portion onits nether face, a pair of jaw members hingedly connected to said headmember, one jaw member having a depending jaw with an arched faceportion thereon, the second jaw member having a jaw extending alongbeneath the head member toward said depending jaw and having an archedupper portion to cooperate with the arched portions on the other jaw andhead member, for providing a grad ually rounded bend on a seam of sheetmetal.

8. The subject matter of claim '7 and including a shoe detaohablymountable on the second mentioned jaw and having an upturned jaw portionwith an arched face to cooperate with the depending jaw for providing agradually rounded bend on the sheet metal seam.

9. A seaming tool comprising a head member, a pair of jaw membershingedly connected to said head member, one jaw member having adepending jaw, the second jaw member having a jaw extending alongbeneath the head member toward said depending jaw, each of said jawshaving an arched portion and cooperating with the head member forproviding a gradually rounded seam, and means for adjusting the jaws tomodify the distance between them and to adjust the position of one jawvertically on said head memher and relative to the other jaw, whereby tovary the size and roundness of the seam.

10. A seaming tool comprising a head member, a pair of jaw membershingedly connected to said head member, one jaw member having adepending jaw, the second jaw member having a jaw extending alongbeneath the head member toward said depending jaw, a handle connected toeach of said jaws, and a reinforcing bracket connected to one jaw memberand to its handle and including an extension projecting from the lowerpart of said handle providing a foot-rest to aid in operating the tool.

11. A seaming tool comprising a head member having a hinge portionextending from each side thereof, a pair of angular jaw members one ofwhich has one angle portion connected to said hinge portion so that itsother angle portion depends therefrom the second jaw member having theupper end of its angle portion secured to the other hinge portion sothat its second angle portion extends. along below the head member andtoward said depending jaw portion, a handle connected to each jawmember, and a reinforcing member securing together one jaw member andits handle and being provided with means which extends outwardly fromthe handle to provide a foot-rest to aid in operating the tool.

CARL SCI-ILICH'T.

